Experiment with wet media: paints
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can compose and refine a layered painting by applying colour theory, blending techniques, and thoughtful detail to enhance visual impact.
Key learning points
- Acrylic or oil paints can produce vibrant, opaque colours that enhance visual impact and depth in artwork.
- Acrylic paints can be blended quickly before drying to create gradients and smooth transitions.
- Understanding the properties of different paint (thickness, opacity, drying time) helps you choose techniques & surfaces
- Understanding colour theory supports successful mixing to create a balanced and harmonious palette with any paint
Keywords
Opacity - how much a paint covers the surface beneath it
Viscosity - the thickness or flow of the paint
Ground - the initial layer of paint applied to a surface before the main artwork is created
Gradient - a smooth transition from light to dark or between colours
Complementary colours - colours which sit opposite each other on the colour wheel
Common misconception
The base layer doesn't matter in painting.
A strong base layer, or ground, sets tone, mood, and unity. It can shape the whole piece visually and emotionally.
Teacher tip
Greater contextual information on the artists work can be found in the additional materials. You may wish to alter the imagery to better fit your project themes.
Equipment
Acrylic paints (primary and secondary colours, white/black), paintbrushes, mixing palettes, paper, optional: palette knives.
Licence
Lesson video
Loading...
Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which of these is a primary colour?
Q2.Colours made by mixing a primary and a secondary colour are called colours.
Q3.Match each keyword to its correct definition.
Q4.Which colours are complementary?
Q5.A shows how colours relate to each other in a circular layout.
Q6.Which best describes a secondary colour?
Assessment exit quiz
5 Questions
Q1.What quality of acrylic and oil paints makes them good for strong visual impact?
Q2.A smooth transition between two colours is called a ...
Q3.Match the keyword to its correct definition.
Q4.What effect do complementary colours have when mixed together in small qualtitlies?
Q5.Knowing a paint’s properties, like and drying time, helps pick the best surface and method.
To help you plan your 10 art and design lesson on: Experiment with wet media: paints, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 art and design lesson on: Experiment with wet media: paints, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 art and design lessons from the Fine Art unit, dive into the full secondary art and design curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.